Distribution, contamination routes, and seasonal influence of persistent Listeria monocytogenes in a commercial fresh Hypsizigus marmoreus production facility. (September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sun, Qifan; Cai, Shuzhen; Cheng, Jianheng; Zhang, Ying; Lin, Ruoqin; Ye, Qinghua; Xue, Liang; Zeng, Haiyan; Lei, Tao; Zhang, Shuhong; Luo, Xueting; Wu, Kegang; Wu, Qingping; Chen, Moutong; Zhang, Jumei
• Is Part Of: Food control. Volume 127(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09
• Subjects: Listeria monocytogenes -- Multilocus sequence typing -- Persistence -- Antibiotic resistance -- Mushroom -- Quaternary ammonium compounds; ERIC-PCR enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction -- MLST multilocus sequence typing -- ST Sequence types -- QACs Quaternary ammonium compounds -- LIPI-4 Listeria pathogencity island 4 -- LIPI-3 Listeria pathogencity island 3; Food -- Quality -- Periodicals; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food handling -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Qualité -- Contrôle -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Qualité -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Analyse -- Périodiques; Hygiène alimentaire -- Périodiques; Food -- Analysis; Food handling; Food -- Quality; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 664.07
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-7135

Abstract

Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen worldwide, with a high mortality rate of 20%–30% for vulnerable persons. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution, contamination routes, and persistence of L. monocytogenes in a mushroom plant. A total of 204 samples collected during four sampling periods within a one-year time interval, with 27.0% (55/204) were positive for L. monocytogenes . A total of 60 representative L. monocytogenes strains were selected for further analysis based on serogrouping and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) fingerprints. Multiplex PCR showed serogroups I.1 (1/2a-3a) and II.2 (1/2b-3b-7) accounted for 68.3% (41/60) and 31.7% (19/60), respectively, of the samples. ST8 strains were isolated from the mycelium-scraping phase to the harvest phase by multilocus sequence typing. These strains had identical ERIC-PCR fingerprints, suggesting that the mycelium-scraping machine was the main contamination source. Sequence types (ST) 8 (61.7%, 37/60) and 87 (23.3%, 14/60) were predominant and repeatedly isolated within a one-year seasonal investigation, indicating that ST8 and ST87 persist in this plant. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of commonly used quaternary ammonium compounds for the 60 isolates were ≥4 μg/mL, indicating that the persistence we observed may be associated with biocide tolerance. In addition, all strains harbored nine virulent genes ( prfA, hly, mpl, actA, iap, plcA, plcB, inlA, and inlB ). Only ST87 strains carried ptsA (representing LIPI-4), but none of the strains harbored llsX (representing LIPI-3). These results indicate that ST87 strains pose a potential public risk to consumers. All isolates were susceptible to 13 antimicrobials, except for levofloxacin (1.7%, 1/60), erythromycin (3.3%, 2/60), and clindamycin (88.3%, 53/60). This study is the first to explore the contamination routes and persistence of L. monocytogenes in a Hypsizigus marmoreus production facility. Critical disinfection measures should be adopted to eliminate its persistence throughout processing. Highlights: L. monocytogenes contamination was evaluated in a mushroom production facility. Approximately one-fourth of positive samples were of the serogroups I.1 and II.2. The primary contamination source was scraping, associated with biocide resistance. Sequence type 8 and 87 persist in the production process of mushroom facility.